Chrono Trigger: The Heart of Darkness
by ScorpioVS
Summary: Chaos has, once again, appeared in the world, and it is now up to a group of adventurers to vanquish the evil. To do so, they must work together in order to overcome obstacles, face their fears, and confront the source of the darkness; Crono himself.
1. Chapter 1: The Door

**Chapter 1**

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**The Door**

The footsteps echoed throughout the alleyway, surrounding the shadowed figure with an intense environ that only added to the anxiety one could already taste in the air. The stars glistened vibrantly in the night sky, dimly lighting the streets of the small village, which had been abandoned that same week. Thieves scoured the remnants of the shops and stalls, plundering what little spoils were left, while beasts from the surrounding area rummaged through the empty homes, searching for fresh meat to feast on. Only one benevolent soul was left in the diminutive town. Only one person who could free the land of the darkness, which enveloped it. The one with the power to overcome the worst of evil…

The figure seemed to glide deeper into the alleyway, between the town inn and the adjoined pub. Previously, the bums of the village would loiter outside of the pub, moaning in hunger, praying that at least one kind soul would stop, take their presence into consideration, and throw a few gold pieces their way. However, the men of the village would wander past the homeless, into the pub, enjoy themselves with the town whores, and retire with them to the inn, which was found through the hefty, wooden door near the bar. These things would happen every night in this town. Sex, adultery, and theft were commonplace. One might think this village got what it deserved.

Still, the cloaked stranger continued into the shadows, reaching the end of the alleyway, facing the brick wall decorated with overflowing trashcans, which rested in front of it. This was apparently what our visitor was looking for, as a hand was outstretched from the mysterious veil. In the hand was none other than an egg; however it was not an average bird egg. In fact, this egg was not produced from any type of animal, nor was it made from any material known to man. This egg had been formed from the despair and sorrow from a young man, searching for his love, an unaccomplished journey. The only thing left of the venture is this egg. The egg, which can open the door.

The hand, which held the egg, seemed delicate, almost more fragile than the egg itself. It shook slightly, as the sharp, brisk sting of the wind blew up against the pale skinned hand. The shadowed form stood, motionless, arm outstretched, egg clasped in hand, when suddenly, as if it had been expected, the person violently turned, facing the opening of the alley, staring at a man who had been positioned there for hardly a second.

"What do you want," a woman's voice came from underneath the cloak's hood.

"Found the door, eh?" the man took a few steps closer towards the woman who still basked in the darkness of the alley.

"Stay out of this, Janus," the woman withdrew the egg into her cloths. "This does not concern the likes of you."

The man, now known as Janus, sauntered closer towards the shaken woman. She kept her ground, not allowing Janus to notice the fear that he instilled in her. "That's where you're wrong," Janus replied, soon staring down at the face underneath the hood. "This concerns me very much." He opened his palm, as if expecting something. "The egg."

The woman turned back to the wall. She fell to her knees, as Janus compassionately placed a hand on her quivering shoulder. The words she spoke seemed impossible to get out of her mouth. "I," she began, stuttering at first, then growing enough confidence within herself, she continued, "I want you to take me with you."

Janus let out a hearty laugh, as if the woman were nothing. She quickly rose to her feet, glaring at Janus, stunned at his response. He merely shook his head, and began to inform her that he needed her absence. "I know you crave vengeance as much as I do," Janus bent his head back, and glared at the new moon, "but there are some things that I must do on my own. Someone like you, well, you wouldn't be able to make it in that world. Things happen there -- terrible things." Janus, once again, brought his hand to the woman's shoulder. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

The woman rose to her feet and turned her back to Janus. She clasped the egg in her hand, and hoisted it high above her head. "Then, I suppose, this will just have to be destroyed."

The woman raised the egg higher, ready to throw it down to the ground, threatening to shatter not only the egg, but the dreams of many individuals who yearned to see the purification of the land. Janus leapt to the woman's side, making an attempt to prevent her from ruining his plans. "Fine," he shouted, as he clutched her arm. "You can come, but don't blame me if you die."

After that, a small portion of moonlight revealed a smile on the woman's face. She was satisfied in getting what she wanted, and soon the two stood, side by side, in front of the wall, the egg still resting in the woman's hand. The wind blew once more, rustling the woman's cloak and Janus' sapphire hair, which gleamed in the moonlight.

"The black wind," Janus whispered. "Its time."

The woman lifted the egg once more, however this time, it shimmered a vibrant crimson. The alleyway was soon flooded with scarlet light, as Janus and the woman shielded their eyes from the intense illumination. Soon, the luminosity subsided, and the wall in which the two stood in front of now had an oversized door with complex patterns of clocks upon it.

"Are you ready?" the woman inquired, glancing bleakly at Janus.

"Please," Janus stepped forward towards the door and reached for the golden doorknob, which reflected the light from the stars. "I've been waiting for this moment all my life."

Janus turned the doorknob, but soon stopped. He looked down, as if he did not have the power to open the door. He knew that by opening this door, the two worlds would, once again, become connected, and that things could, instead, get worse than better. Janus took a deep breath, and raised his head, looking intently at the enigma of clocks on the door. Memories of his past came flooding back, and soon he found his knees becoming weaker. "No," he muttered to himself. He shook his head, noticed his hand still on the doorknob, and continued turning. "It's time to end this era of chaos," he said faintly, "its time to eliminate Crono."


	2. Chapter 2: An Unwelcome Welcome

**Chapter 2**

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**An Unwelcome Welcome**

The young man sitting at the old, wooden bar slammed his empty mug on the surface. "Get me another," he shouted, as the rest of the peasants continued with their small talk and gossip, as if he weren't there. Although the bar was small, and his yell seemed like a thunderous roar from a lion, he did not bother any of the other customers, as they were already used to his sudden outbursts.

"I think you've had enough," said the female bartender, snatching the dirty glass from in front of him and quickly wiping it clean with an already filthy cloth. The woman's burgundy hair shimmered underneath the candlelight, protruding from the miniscule chandelier hanging on the ceiling, overlooking the bar. She donned wristbands that traveled up to her elbows and leather gloves that fit tightly around her hands. Along with her large, loose-fitting pants, which were tucked into her boots at the ends, the bartender wore a large belt, which hung a pouch filled with gold coins, collected from her customers. The woman peered at the man through her half-moon spectacles, as he tried vigorously to stay on his stool. As the bartender sauntered over to the sink to rinse the glass, her boots moving steadily, she glanced back at the, now rather intoxicated individual. After rinsing the mug, the woman adjusted her eyeglasses on her face. "My how you've changed, Tata." she whispered under her breath. "Some hero you turned out to be."

Tata, the drunk who was still trying to balance himself on his barstool, glanced up. "Hey," he called, "I thought I asked for another one." The bartender strode over, and placed her elbows on the bar in front of him, resting her head on her hands. 

"Do you even have the money for another drink?" she asked, a smirk swiftly forming on her face.

Tata overturned his pockets, patted himself down, and checked under the leather cap he was wearing, which hid his violet tinted hair, searching for the smallest trace of gold. He seemed dumbfounded when he realized he had already wasted all of his money, and soon rose to his feet, hardly able to stand. The woman behind the bar laughed. "Maybe you should go home, Tata. I'm sure your father's looking for you."

"Don't patronize me!" he bellowed, slamming his fist down upon the bar. "I'm an adult, now. I don't listen to that hack's orders anymore! He can worry all he wants. I'm doing what I want to do. And I want another drink!"

"But you have no more money," sighed the bartender. "Come back when you do."

Realization, once again, struck Tata like a hammer. Once more grasping the fact that he had no more gold, Tata turned his back to the bartender, shook his fist at her, and started for the door. At that moment, a ruby red light flashed throughout the pub, and the conversation in the undersized tavern halted. All those sitting at the bar and the nearby tables looked around, searching for where the light came from, and what exactly it was. However, the bartender knew exactly what the light was, and jumped over the bar and rushed out the door, pushing the inebriated Tata out of her way. As she reached the exterior of the bar, she gazed over at the now unoccupied Leene's Square. "It can't be."

The bartender, who was know thinking of her tavern being overrun by all those she left it with, made her way into Leene's Square, forcing open the rusted, oversized gates. She glanced around at the gloomy atmosphere of the once exuberant plaza. Noticing the ruined shops and stalls, the damaged stone sculptures, and the fountain, which was reduced to ruins, the bartender continued forward, towards the hefty steps that led up to Leene's Bell. She shrieked when a pack of rats scurried past her feet, yet regained her composure and continued up the set of pebbled steps.

When she reached the top of the flight of steps, she clasped her hand over her mouth, as to hold back her gasp. Leene's Bell was resting, soullessly, on the ground, with a vast crack upon it. The pillars, which once so majestically held this magnificent instrument in the air, were cracked as well, fallen into much disrepair. The rubble that was now Leene's Bell brought back a wealth of nostalgia to the bartender, yet she couldn't stop now. She knew something was not right, and so she continued north, to the smaller, more sentimental part of the square.

There it was. The Telepod. The machine that started it all. The contraption that once consumed three teenagers and threw them into the depths of time, changing all that was today. Those three teenagers who fought thousands of beasts, confronted hundreds of different individuals, and even destroyed Lavos itself. This mechanism changed their lives, and brought the chaos, which is today. And it was the bartender's entire fault.

"Lucca."

The bartender, Lucca, quickly turned her back on the Telepod and faced whoever it was that whispered her name. It was none other than Janus and the woman who accompanied him. Janus, who was wearing a diamond colored robe with dark blue trim, thrown over a sky blue shirt and pair of pants, stepped forward, looking Lucca up and down. He was also dressed in navy blue boots, and he had a large, steel blade thrown over his shoulder, resting in a scabbard, which was secure on his back by a large strap that traveled around his chest. He spoke once more, "I see you haven't changed at all."

Lucca, without delay, grabbed her lightweight, yet deadly sledgehammer, which hung from her belt along with her pouch of gold coins. She outstretched her arm, pointing the hammer in Janus' direction, as a warning to stay back. "Who are you?" she asked, taking a step forward, "How'd you get here? I see by your garb that you're not from around here."

Janus, unconcerned about Lucca's threat, took another step forward. He glanced at the hammer, then into Lucca's eyes once more. "I see you don't remember me," he said calmly, taking another step forward. "It's me, Janus."

Lucca, as if someone had just punched her in the face, stood motionless, staring blankly at Janus. After a little while, Lucca shook her head, and resumed her defensive stance. "Bullshit," she stammered, clasping her hammer more tightly. "You're not Janus. He died in the destruction of Zeal. Janus is no more. There is only Magus."

Janus chuckled, as he glanced back at the woman, who was still shrouded in her hooded, lavender cloak. He gazed back at Lucca, who still had her hammer waving in his direction. "That is true. I was transported into the future, ultimately becoming Magus," he stopped, as if the memories were too hard for him. "I'm sure if we take some time and talk in a rational manner, I can explain to you what exactly --"

"Don't count on it," Lucca cut him off. "You're not Janus. I don't know who you are, but I know that you don't belong here. I'm not sure how you got here, but allow me to make your visit short." Lucca clasped her hammer in both hands, and dashed towards Janus, soon raising her weapon in the air, ready to bring it down upon Janus' head. However, when she did so, Janus quickly sidestepped in here in the nick of time, causing her to miss. Janus took this opportunity to slam his fist upon her back, sending her toppling to the ground.

Lucca's weapon went hurtling out of her hands, leaving her physically defenseless. She remained on the ground, her back in a terrible amount of pain. She couldn't let them win. Lucca hastily turned her head in Janus' direction, pointed her finger at him, and chanted, "Flame Toss." Soon, a string of fire erupted from her forefinger, and raced Janus' way. However, the woman he was with jumped in front of him, and outstretched her arms. The fire was ricocheted by an invisible barrier, and went spinning into the atmosphere.

Lucca lay on the ground, stunned. She slowly rose to her feet, brushing off dirt from her pants. She glared at Janus and his companion. "Well," she began, "I hope you like ale."


	3. Chapter 3: Another World

**Chapter 3**

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**Another World**

The gushing sea winds traveled their way throughout Truce Village, past the ramshackle homes, in and out of grimy alleyways, and right outside of the pub, causing the "Closed" sign on the tavern's wooden door to batter rapidly upon the surface. The bar was completely desolate. The counter and tables were cleared off, the ale and brandy were properly put away, and the only trace of existence was in the back room, where Lucca, Janus, and the still unidentified woman sat.

Lucca placed two mugs, filled with her finest ale, in front of Janus and his female friend. Whereas Janus immediately consumed the drink, the woman took her time, carefully inspecting the alcohol, and taking cautious sips. She had taken off her purplish cloak, and instead was dressed in white cloths. She was wearing a pallid, sleeveless shirt, and a long, flowing skirt, which traveled down just underneath her kneecaps. Along with her pale outfit, the woman wore bulky, brown leather boots, and faded blue wrist bands, which, unlike Lucca's, remained at her wrists. She donned a belt, too, with a sapphire buckle that had a large 'M' engraved upon it as well. This unnamed woman also wore the finest of jewelry, including diamond earrings and a gorgeous chain necklace. Whoever she was, it was no question that she came from a wealthy background.

Lucca flinched at the woman's azure tinted hair, having to look twice in order to comprehend what she had seen. She recognized immediately that the bluish hair coloring was the mark of the Enlightened Ones from Zeal, and Lucca subsequently noticed that the woman shared a striking resemblance to Janus' older sister, Schala, who had been lost after the Mammoth Machine's destruction in the Ocean Palace. Memories swelled Lucca's mind about that fateful day. She remembered Lavos' power enveloping her, and the great trepidation she felt over losing the only man she ever loved.

Soon, Janus interrupted Lucca's thoughts, by placing his mug down loudly on the table that the three were sitting at. Glancing around the diminutive storage room, occupied by one minuscule table, four chairs, and large kegs of alcohol, Janus could hear the white silence engulf the room, causing the tension to grow steadily. He tried to remember the time he had last seen Lucca, at the Mammoth Machine. His imprudent mother had wished for immortality, hoping Lavos would be the key to finding it. In order to reach her goal, she attempted to destroy Crono and his friends, one of them being Lucca. Janus wondered if Lucca hated him for his mother's actions. Surely she shouldn't hold a grudge on him, for it wasn't his intentions, however he is directly connected to Zeal, being her only son, and part of her will always live in him.

"Well," Lucca began, finally breaking the silence in the room, her voice booming in the exceedingly silent stockroom. She refilled Janus' mug with more ale. "What brings you here, Janus?" she stopped herself. "Better yet … how'd you get here? All the gates have been sealed, and not even the best of magic can reopen them. Not even Scha--"

Lucca cut herself off, realizing that it would not be best if she continued her statement.  Janus, as if Lucca had not almost said what she was about to say, answered, "We used a door."

"A door," Lucca inquired, glimpsing over at the woman whom, to Lucca, was still anonymous. "What do you mean a door?"

The woman soon spoke. "There's a certain object that can reveal a door. This door is not like any other door, as it has the unique power to travel those who pass through it into time."  
Lucca could tell this was bad. "Janus," she started, "you know that time travel is bad. It can't fix things. It will never bring her back, and you know it. You can't change history. I've tried."

Janus flinched, and gazed at Lucca. "That's not why I'm here," he said, collecting his composure and, once again, taking a sip of his ale.

Becoming interested, Lucca leaned back in her chair and lifted one of her eyebrows at Janus. "Well then," she sighed, focusing her attention on her drink, trying to make sure Janus was not aware that she was interested in his intentions, "what _are_ you after?"

Janus remained motionless, gazing into Lucca's eyes. He paused for a second, and then responded, "Crono."

Lucca looked up, clutching her mug filled with ale, and swallowed hard on her own saliva. Her eyes quickly shifted from Janus, to the unknown woman, and back again. Hurriedly, she took a significant sip of her drink, and then slammed the glass down on the stiff surface of the undersized table the three were still situated at. "C, Crono," she stammered, her face going pale. "What do you want with him?"

Janus remained calm, took a swig of his drink, savoring the flavor, and soon placed his mug down on the table as well. He looked into Lucca's eyes once more, and with a smirk forming on his face, he replied, "I'm going to kill him."

Lucca steadily rose from her seat, and slammed her fist down on the wooden surface of the table. "I knew it, Janus," she bellowed. "I knew that's what you were after. It doesn't take a genius to realize that you didn't come all this way for a pleasant visit with old friends."

"Please, Lucca, remain calm." Janus motioned for her to take her seat, which she soon did. There was something about Janus, possibly unimpeachable charisma or something of the sort, but he could usually get people to do as he wanted. This was most likely how he acquired his three henchmen, Ozzie, Slash, and Flea, to unite as his trusted advocates. However, that was a different life; a different life in which _this Janus never experienced._

"As you know," Janus continued, "there is much disorder in the land once again. This disorder is, not only affecting your now soiled time period, but others as well. Most of the Earthbound villages have been decimated, and the ones that haven't are barely surviving. No doubt this mayhem is devastating further into the past and, not to mention, the future as well.

"It's hard to believe that one era of destruction can span over millions and millions of years, isn't it? Well, it really isn't all that difficult to grasp when you know the cause of it. Someone bound on obliteration, traveling through one time period to another."

"And you think this 'someone' is Crono?" Lucca intervened.

"Quite on the contrary, my dear friend," Janus smiled once again. "I know for certain that it's Crono."

"How?" Lucca asked, becoming entranced by Janus' words.

"Crono is on a killing spree," Lucca recoiled in her chair at this statement, taking another trembling sip of her ale. "He, not only wrought disarray in this time and wiped out most of the Earthbound villages in the past, but he also has killed two of the three prophets." With this statement, the woman, who was suspiciously quiet, dropped her hand, and gazed down into her lap. "Melchior and Belthasar are dead."

Lucca covered her mouth, to hold in her gasp. "What do you mean? How do you know this?"

"Things are complicated, Lucca. When I was transported into time back at the Ocean Palace, I was brought to this time period. As you know, with time, I developed into the malevolent bastard, Magus. However, somewhere through the course of my transformation, a gate was opened to me. It was no ordinary gate. I could feel that there was something different about it, yet before I could even question entering it, I was being carried into it.

"Surprisingly enough, I was brought back to Zeal. Although I was now back home, I was not completely there. You see, I've learned over time that the gate in which I was dragged into so many years ago, was a portal, not only bringing those who entered it through time, but sending them into another world altogether. Because this brought me to a different world, which was, in essence, the same as the one I had just left, I still remained a part of the world I departed from -- the Janus who witnessed the portal, yet never entered it, eventually becoming Magus."

Lucca shook her head. She found it hard to comprehend. "I don't understand," she muttered, searching her thoughts for what she wanted to say, "You entered a portal, were taken to another world, yet still remained in this world?"

"Precisely," Janus replied.

"Two of the same beings living in two parallel universes," the woman finally spoke up, placing down her, now empty, mug. "Once you absorb exactly what Janus went through, it's easy to grasp the concept, however farfetched it may be."

"Well, what do you want with Crono? You still haven't explained how you know that Melchior and Belthasar have been killed by Crono's will," a quiver struck Lucca's voice. This conversation was certainly unsettling for her, and it was growing more apparent.

Janus smiled. "Along with myself, the three prophets were also drawn into the mystifying gate which divided me into two different beings and returned me back to my home, in Zeal. I immediately knew that Belthasar was slain in this world when he inexplicably had vanished into thin air, as one would do if they had been killed in a previous time. I realized that someone had taken his life before he had entered the gate, since he was no longer a part of my world, which led me to understand that time traveling was, once again, occurring in this dimension." Janus reclined further into his seat, crossing him arms, and gazing over at the, now perplexed, Lucca.

"But, how do you know its Crono?" she finally questioned, regaining her composure.

"The Time Egg."

Lucca gasped, sitting upright in her chair. She gaped, uncomprehendingly, into Janus' shimmering sapphire eyes, which reflected the small amount of moonlight shining dimly through the only window in the storeroom. She was about to question him on what he meant, but the look on her face was more powerful than words, and Janus had already begun speaking once more.

"As you know, the Time Egg was given to Princess Nadia for the use of retrieving Crono's soul, which was malignantly stolen from him. The Time Egg, also known as the Chrono Trigger, was made wholly on his soul. As he traveled in his adventures, making new friends and saving the lives of hundreds of people, the Time Egg, along with Crono's soul, only grew stronger, and once he was diminished from the world, was the only means of saving him.

"Since the Chrono Trigger reflected Crono's soul, it was more than apparent that Crono had turned to the darkness once the Time Egg began to grow tattered, falling into much disrepair. It was only time before it occurred to me that Crono must have become vindictive, killing only the most pure hearted individuals for his soul to become so tormented."

"So, you're not exactly sure that it's him that has killed both Belthasar and Melchior, correct?" Lucca queried, sitting back on the edge of her chair. "It's only a hunch, right?"

"More or less of a certainty, but there is a chance that I could be wrong." Janus shook his head, and reassured himself, "a small, dreadfully diminutive chance."

"This doesn't make sense," Lucca argued. "Why would Crono want to murder the prophets? He never had an intention of doing so in the past? What would strike this desire in him all of a sudden?" Lucca looked down in her lap, feeling her heart pounding at the mention of his name. She was still far from any possible understanding of this situation. She needed to know facts. "Who or what would send you into another world that is exactly like the one you were once living in, but just in another time period?"

"I'm not sure," Janus sighed, finishing off the rest of his ale. "Possibly the same entity that conveyed Crono and yourself spiraling into the depths of time…"

Lucca remained silent. It was true; stranger things had happened. But the question that remained in Lucca's mind was _why was Crono maliciously destroying everything? Lucca ran her fingers through her crimson hair, sinking back further into her rather uncomfortable seat. It was hard for her to process all of this information at once, especially after so long. Lucca's brain was not what it used to be, once the source of all her knowledge, and now just a mound sitting in her head. She thought back on the days when her intelligence was matched only by the love she shared for the one man that ever truly cared about her. However, he is no more. Crono's gone. And Lucca's guess is he's never coming back … especially after Janus is through with him._


End file.
